Intel Arc - fivu.net - sharing blog

Featured

10 best graphics cards of 2024

By admin March 13, 2024

10 best graphics cards of 2024, If you want peak performance out of your PC, you need one of the best graphics cards. We’ve combed through all our reviews of GPUs from AMD, Nvidia, and Intel that were released over the last several generations to bring you a definitive ranking of the best GPUs for gaming, all of which can deliver great gaming performance at different budgets.

The competitiveness between AMD and Nvidia is hotter than it has been in years, and we have several options from both brands. If you’re new to building PCs, make sure to read our answers to common GPU questions. We also have a full guide on how to install a graphics card so you can upgrade your PC.

Nvidia GeForce RTX 4070 Super

The best graphics card for gaming

The RTX 4070 was already a great graphics card, but Nvidia made it even better with a Super refresh. This new version is between 10% and 15% faster than the base model based on our testing, and it still comes with all of the features that made the original version so impressive.

Now, you’re getting frame rates at the target resolution that are consistently above 100 fps, and often much more. On top of that the RTX 4070 Super has enough power to press up to 4K, assuming you make a few compromises in the most demanding games. It’s the Swiss Army Knife of graphics cards, filling its duty as a gaming workhorse in just about any situation.

It comes with Nvidia’s excellent DLSS 3.5, as well. It’s a huge asset in games like Alan Wake 2 with path tracing turned on, and it can make demanding games more playable at 4K. Between DLSS 3, solid raw performance, and an attainable price, the RTX 4070 Super nails a sweet spot that most graphics cards miss.

10 best graphics cards of 2024

Nvidia GeForce RTX 4080 Super

The best graphics card for 4K gaming

The original RTX 4080 was a bit of a disappointment due to its high price, but the RTX 4080 Super corrects that. Coming in at $200 less, it’s the premium 4K gaming graphics card that we’ve been begging for, and it delivers stable performance across a wide swath of games.

Although the RTX 4080 Super isn’t quite as powerful as the RTX 4090, features like DLSS 3 help fill in the gap. That makes ray tracing possible at 4K, even at high frame rates. DLSS isn’t new, but the addition of frame generation and ray reconstruction on the RTX 4080 Super can massively boost your frame rate in demanding titles.

The card is big and bulky, but unlike the RTX 4090, it doesn’t require a ton of power. It stays at the same wattage as the previous generation, and in real-world use, it actually consumes about 50W less.

For video editing, it’s tough to beat the RTX 4080. Although there are better value options for gaming, Nvidia still has a massive lead in video editing, and it accelerated tasks in apps like Adobe After Effects and DaVinci Resolve in a way that AMD graphics cards just can’t.

AMD Radeon RX 7900 XTX

The best AMD graphics card for 4K gaming

The lineup of current-gen GPUs all have one thing in common: they’re expensive. That makes choosing the best GPU tough, but AMD has a compelling offer this time around. The RX 7900 XTX offers flagship performance at an excellent value amid the inflated landscape of GPU prices right now.

For raw performance, the RX 7900 XTX is capable of running the most demanding PC above 60 frames per second (fps), and in the case of titles like Red Dead Redemption 2 and Horizon Zero Dawn, it can even hit around 100 fps. It can go toe-to-toe with the RTX 4080 Super, though it has lost some rankings since Nvidia dropped the price of its 4K GPU.

In addition, it’s smaller, and it calls for standard 8-pin power rather than the 12-pin connector featured on Nvidia’s most recent GPUs. That doesn’t mean the RX 7900 XTX is without faults. It gets loud and it runs hot and compared to Nvidia, it lacks prowess in ray tracing games.

Even with those caveats, the RX 7900 XTX is an excellent graphics card that can power high-end gaming in demanding titles like Cyberpunk 2077.

AMD Radeon RX 7900 GRE

The best AMD graphics card

The AMD RX 7900 GRE seems like a mistake. The card was originally released in China several months ago, and it never seemed like it would come to the U.S. Now, it’s finally here, and with a bargain bin price of $550.

It’s a direct response to Nvidia’s competition at around this price, delivering slightly better performance than the RTX 4070 Super overall for a lower price. In our review, we call it the best AMD GPU we’ve seen this generation. It manages to match the RTX 4070 Super at a lower price, while outclassing the RTX 4070 by around 15% at the same price.

For frame chasers, the RX 7900 GRE is the best GPU at this price. The main reason the RX 7900 GRE loses out from a top slot is the RTX 4070 Super – for a slight premium, you have access to better ray tracing performance and DLSS.

AMD Radeon RX 7600

The best graphics card under $300

The RX 7600 isn’t a showstopper graphics card, but it’s the closest we’ve seen to a true budget offering this generation. Arriving art $270, the GPU offers above 60 fps in demanding titles like Cyberpunk 2077 at 1080p.

That’s what you want out of a graphics card under $300. The RX 7600 manages to meet, and often exceed, the 60 fps mark for demanding titles at 1080p. It also supports AMD’s FidelityFX Super Resolution (FSR), so it can scale up to higher frame rates in titles like Starfield and Alan Wake 2.

The card only really loses out when it comes to ray tracing. AMD cards aren’t great when it comes to ray tracing, and this budget-focused offering doesn’t change that story. It can handle some lighter ray tracing in games like Resident Evil 4, but you’ll need to turn off the feature in anything more demanding.

Nvidia GeForce RTX 4090

The best graphics card for video editing

The RTX 4090 is a nonsense graphics card, and we mean that in the best way possible. It’s $1,600, which is hard to justify spending on any graphics card. But if you want the best of the best, the RTX 4090 is it, and by a significant margin.

The previous GPU champion, the RTX 3090 Ti, looks puny by comparison. Based on our testing, the RTX 4090 is nearly 70% faster than the RTX 3090 Ti, and almost 90% faster than the RTX 3090. It’s a 4K graphics card that enables features like ray tracing in the most demanding games available today.

It’s overkill for most people, and it comes with some high demands. You’ll need a power supply with a lot of wattage, and you’ll need a case to accommodate the card’s massive size. It’s a reasonable trade-off for high-end enthusiasts, though, especially with features like DLSS 3 on offer.

AMD Radeon RX 7900 XT

The best graphics card for VR

The AMD RX 7900 XT isn’t the best graphics card on the market, but it’s the best choice for VR. The main reason why is support for DisplayPort 2.1. High-end VR headsets require a ton of bandwidth, and DisplayPort 2.1 is the only connection standard that can deliver.

Although the RX 7900 XT doesn’t pose a great value, it’s no slouch of a GPU. Even at the high resolutions demanded by VR, it can deliver solid frame rates. It’s even faster than Nvidia’s RTX 4070 Ti, all while costing around the same price.

Even better, you can find it readily available at online retailers. Popular graphics cards still sell out immediately, but the RX 7900 XT is available at list price basically everywhere. It’s great for VR, but you can also leverage it for 4K gaming on a typical monitor.

Intel Arc A750

The best graphics card for the money

Intel’s Arc A750 has gotten much better since launch, now sporting solid DirectX 9 support and much faster drivers. It has always been competitive with Nvidia’s RTX 3060 while costing around $100 less, but it looks even more enticing now that Intel has slashed the A750’s price to $250.

AMD usually is the budget alternative to Nvidia, and although that’s still true, Nvidia has been the way to go if you want to turn on ray tracing. The Arc A750 has competitive ray tracing, unlike its AMD counterparts, meaning it can truly go toe-to-toe with the RTX 3060.

On top of that, the card also supports Intel’s XeSS upscaling feature, which uses AI to upscale your games and improve performance. It’s not available in a ton of games, but Intel should add support in more titles over the coming months.

Nvidia GeForce RTX 4070 mobile

The best graphics card for laptops

If you want the ultimate mobile gaming experience, it’s hard to beat the RTX 4070 mobile. It’s not the fastest laptop graphics card Nvidia currently offers, but it’s by far the best. It’s available in a massive number of laptops, including the Lenovo Legion Pro 5 and Razer Blade 14, and all of them offer great performance at a 1440p resolution.

What’s most impressive about the RTX 4070 mobile, however, is that it’s scalable. You can pump it with power in a large, 16-inch laptop for a small performance boost, but the efficiency of the GPU means it has a home in thinner machines like the Asus ROG Zephyrus G14.

It also has access to DLSS 3.5, making things like ray tracing possible on a laptop. You won’t find the RTX 4070 available in more budget-focused machines, but if you have the cash to spare, it definitely strikes the perfect balance of efficiency and power for a laptop.

Nvidia GeForce RTX 4070 Ti Super

The best graphics card with DLSS 3

The RTX 4070 Ti wasn’t a perfect graphics card. The RTX 4070 Ti Super corrects some of the mistakes of the base model, however. It comes in at the same $800 price, but with a solid 10% boost in performance over the base model. Still, what really stands out for this GPU is DLSS 3.

DLSS 3 adds DLSS Frame Generation, allowing you to massively improve your frame rate in games like Atomic Heart, Cyberpunk 2077, and, Warhammer 40:000: Darktide. It’s exclusive to Nvidia’s most recent generation, and although DLSS 3 isn’t available in every game, it’s a selling point in the few demanding titles that feature the tech.

In standard performance, the RTX 4070 Ti Super delivers 4K gaming performance on the level of last-gen flagships, narrowly beating out cards like the RTX 3090. It’s still a very powerful GPU, even if it’s a bit expensive for the current generation. The good news is that this Super refresh has pushed prices down to the $800 list price.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much should you spend on a graphics card?

As a rule of thumb, you should dedicate about 30% of your budget to a graphics card for a gaming PC. For 1080p, you should spend around $300 to $400; for 1440p, around $400 to $500; and for 4K, $600 or above. The Radeon RX 6600 XT targets 1080p at $379, the GeForce RTX 3070 is great for 1440p at $500, and the GeForce RTX 3080 is the perfect video card for 4K at $700.

Graphics cards are vastly overpriced in 2022, though. As it stands now, you can expect to pay double what you should for each resolution. Hopefully, that will change in the coming months.

How can you find the right power supply for a graphics card?

Nvidia and AMD recommend power supply wattage for their most recent graphics card. The Radeon RX 6800 XT, for example, draws 300W of power and AMD recommends a 750W PSU at least. Similarly, the GeForce RTX 3080 video card draws 320W and Nvidia recommends a 750W PSU. These recommendations aren’t always perfect, though, so we recommend using a PSU calculator.

How do you know which graphics card will best suit your needs?

Finding the graphics card that will best suit your needs comes down to the resolution of your display and the kinds of games you play. The Nvidia GeForce RTX 3080 is great for 4K, for example, but it’s overkill for 1080p where the AMD Radeon RX 6600 XT shines. The lower your display’s resolution, the less you need to spend on a graphics card.

Beyond that, consider the games you want to play and at what frame rates. You can use the Nvidia GeForce GTX 1660 Super for everything from Counter-Strike: Global Offensive to Borderlands 3, but you might need to step up to the GeForce RTX 3070 to play games like Assassin’s Creed Valhalla.

Keep Reading

Computer

Best mini gaming PC 2024

By admin January 15, 2024

Best mini gaming PC 2024, Gaming PCs don’t have to be enormous and finding a powerful compact PC is easier than ever. We’ve tested the best mini gaming PCs at all price points.

What is the best mini gaming PC? The traditional image of a gaming custom PC is some hulking behemoth of a machine, with frantically spinning fans, blazing rainbow RGB LEDs, and monstrously large graphics cards. But the best mini gaming PCs are compact machines that house full-scale components. Despite their size, mini PCs don’t skimp on performance and are ideal for smaller gaming desks or if want to take it traveling.

In this guide, we’ve chosen pre-built mini gaming PCs from the likes of Origin, Corsair, and more. Check out how to build a gaming PC if you want to choose the components and PC case yourself.

Some exceedingly small and cheap mini gaming PCs such as those offered by Minisforum take AMD mobile CPUs, with their iGPUs that punch well above their weight and let them rip with their maximum power draw – which can be capable even at 1080p.

We suggest thinking about cooling solutions and how easy it is to upgrade the machine. There’s no point in spending money on components that are going to throttle the moment they heat up. These are the best mini gaming PCs to game in confidence and small spaces. If you want full power (and have the room), check out our full best gaming PCs guide.

The best mini gaming PCs today:

1.Minisforum UM773 – best for most gamers

2.Origin PC Chronos V3 – best premium PC

3.Intel NUC 12 Serpent Canyon – true mini PC

4.Corsair ONE i400 – stunning design

5.Beelink SER6 – best budget option

6.Blackview MP200 – best under $450/£350

7.Asus Rog Ally – best handheld PC

1. Minisforum UM773 Lite

Best mini PC overall for light gaming.

Minisforum Venus UM773 Lite Specs:

.	.
Graphics	AMD RDNA 2 680M
CPU	AMD Ryzen 7 7735HS 8 core 3.2GHz – 4.75GHz
RAM	32GB DDR5
Storage	512GB PCIe 4.0 NVMe SSD
Connectivity	RJ45 2.5 Gigabit Ethernet Port, USB3.2 Gen2 Type-C, USB3.2 Gen2 Type-A ×2, USB2.0 Type-A ×2, USB4 Type-C, HDMI ×2, 3.5mm Combo Jack ×1, WiFi 6E, Bluetooth,
Cooling	Liquid metal thermal compound, Airway Design 120 fan, two heat pipes
Dimensions	5.03 x 4.9 x 1.8 inches (12.78 x 12.45 x 4.57 cm)
Weight	3.65 lbs (1.66 kg) including power brick

Pros

• Small yet mighty

• Plenty of RAM

Cons

• Reported defective WiFi cards

“Integrated graphics?” we hear you cry, and we respond with a resounding yes. The $539.99 (£495.20) Minisforum UM773’s AMD 680M sits between the integrated graphics of Valve’s Steam Deck and the Asus ROG Ally which as we all know by now are very capable little machines.

The 680M is allowed to perform at its best because of the inclusion of very fast DDR5 which AMD’s CPUs and iGPUs work nicely with and 32 GB of it no less. Though it is not as capable as its younger sibling the 780M, it manages to be slightly more efficient due to its lower power draw so those working with constrained power budgets will be served here.

Esports titles will run well at 1080p and emulation will be no problem at all. Older titles too will, of course, return great performance so if you’re not too fussed about the latest AAA games, you’re sure to have a great time with this seriously handy little machine, especially when paired with the best gaming monitor to get the most out of this mighty box.

Whilst the Minisforum Venus UM773 doesn’t offer the same portability as the Deck or Ally, it makes up for it in connectivity with a plethora of ports making this a very practical little machine.

It is also surprisingly upgradable with two SODIMM slots, a PCIe 4.0 M.2 slot, and room on the bottom for a 2.5-inch hard drive. You could also connect an eGPU via the USB4 port if you wanted some extra GPU down the line as the CPU will age more gracefully than the iGPU.

Best mini gaming PC 2024

2. Origin PC Chronos V3

Best premium mini gaming PC.

Origin Chronos V3 specs:

.	.
Graphics	Nvidia RTX 4070 Ti 12GB
CPU	AMD Ryzen 7 7800X3D
RAM	32GB Corsair Vengeance DDR5 5600Mhz
Motherboard	ASUS ROG Strix X670E-I WiFi
PSU	850 Watt CORSAIR SFX-L Series
Storage	1TB Samsung PM9A1 M.2 NVMe PCIe Gen 4.0
Connectivity	2 x USB-C 4.0, 1 x USB-C 3.1, 5 x USB-A 3.2, 3 x USB-A 2.0, 5 x USB-A 3.2, 3.5mm headphone/mic
Cooling	2 x 120mm fan, 80mm fan, iCUE H100i ELITE CAPELLIX XT Liquid CPU Cooler
Dimensions (W x H x D)	7.87 x 17.71 x 10.6 (20cm x 45cm x 27cm)

Pros

• Powerful all-rounder

• Easily upgradeable

• PCIe Gen 5.0

Cons

• Not the smallest

• Expensive

Well-established custom PC builders Origin have updated their CHRONOS line to use parent company Corsair’s svelte 2000D case whose vertical design makes us think that it’s some supercharged Xbox Series X with its cuboid design.

At $2,806 it isn’t the cheapest, but Origin PC has been in the business a long time for good reason so you can be sure you will be getting a quality product that won’t be giving you any headaches.

With an AMD Ryzen 7 7800 X3D and Nvidia RTX 4070 Ti, you can be sure to be playing the latest AAA games for a while, especially with more games supporting DLSS 3 frame generation introduced with the RTX 4000 series.

Being owned by Corsair, you can quite often get good deals on peripherals if you need a new monitor, keyboard, mouse, and streaming goodies. Be sure to check out our best gaming headsets if you need a sonic solution for your ears.

It’s on the cusp of being a mini PC however as it is quite large still, but is certainly smaller than your average ATX case. You can go smaller with other options but given Origin’s credentials, customer service, and flexibility, we’ve included it as our best overall pick.

3. Intel NUC 12 Serpent Canyon

Best true mini PC with dedicated graphics.

Intel NUC 12 Serpent Canyon Specs:

.	.
Graphics	Intel Arc A770M 16GB
CPU	Intel i7-12700H
RAM	16GB DDR4 3200Mhz
Storage	1TB PCIe 4.0 NVMe SSD
Connectivity	HDMI 2.1 (4K60), DisplayPort 2.0 x 2, Thunderbolt/USB4 Type-C ports x 2, USB3.2 Gen2 Type-A ×6, 3.5mm Combo Jack ×1, 2.5Gb ethernet, Consumer infrared port, WiFi 6E, Bluetooth 5.2
Cooling	Two fans and heat pipes
Dimensions	9.06 x 7.09 x 2.36 inches (23 x 18 x 6 cm)
Weight	4.34 lbs (1.97 kg)

Pros

• Pint-sized gaming PC

• Slick console-like design

• Powerful dedicated graphics

Cons

• Intel Arc teething issues

• Expensive

Intel’s NUC (Next Unit of Computing) series has been around for a few years now but for the first time, they’ve updated their designs with their own Arc series of GPUs for a true-blue all-Intel system.

This is all packaged in an exceedingly handsome and small case that puts the PS5 and Xbox Series X to shame when it comes to a performance-to-size ratio as the NUC 12 Serpent Canyon is so small that we’re surprised there’s even a GPU in there. It has an air of “This is what the Xbox 720 will look like” about it which we’re quite fond of too.

The Serpent Canyon has an Intel Arc A770M with 16GB of GDDR6 VRAM so you shouldn’t run into any limitations with the recent spate of resource-heavy AAA games. The Arc cards have excellent ray-tracing performance for their price point, eclipsing AMD in this regard.

Also included is a very capable i7-12700H so CPU workloads will be breezy and will keep up with the performant A770M.

Whilst the CPU and GPU aren’t upgradable, there are plenty of drive options with 2 M.2 PCIe 4.0 slots and an M.2 PCIe slot. The RAM is also user-replaceable.

Something to consider is how the Intel Arc cards have fared since release. They are leaps and bounds better than were with DX9, 10, and 11 performance seeing massive improvements but Nvidia and AMD have better legacy support for older titles. Intel’s upscaling technology XeSS isn’t as widely supported but it is being increasingly integrated by developers.

Recent AAA titles that have VRAM issues have influenced our decision to include the Serpent Canyon as the 16GB of VRAM and good DX12 performance see the NUC punching above its weight here. This is at a high cost, but we think it’s worth it given the unique design and improved performance.

4. Corsair ONE i400

The mini gaming PC with the best design.

Corsair ONE i400 Specs:

.	.
Graphics	Nvidia RTX 3080 10 GB
CPU	Intel i7-13700KF
RAM	32GB (2 x 16GB) DDR5-5600MHz
Storage	1TB NVMe SSD
PSU	750W SFX 80 PLUS Platinum
Connectivity	USB 3.1 Gen 1 x 2, USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-C, Thunderbolt 4 x 2, USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-A, USB 3.2 Gen 1, 7.1 Audio, 2.5G Ethernet, Wi-Fi 6E, Bluetooth 5.2
Cooling	2 liquid AIO coolers
Dimensions	6.93 x 7.87 x 14.96 inches (17.6 x 20 x 38 cm)
Weight	9.6 lbs (4.35 kg)

Pros:

• Striking design

• Excellent performance

Cons:

• Expensive for RTX 3080 PC

• Difficult to upgrade

Look at that subtle RGB lighting. The tasteful thickness of it Oh my god, it even has water cooling. It’s the Corsair ONE i400 with Intel’s latest 13th gen i7-13700KF and clearly, they are still pretty proud of themselves as they have stuck with the tried and true Corsair One case, and really, who could blame them?

It’s become something of a PC design icon since the original Corsair One debuted back in 2017, and we’ve been fans of it ever since – its predecessor was in our best gaming PC list.

The ONE i400 also has faster DDR5 RAM to help raise those 1% lows whilst gaming and chewing through the embarrassing amount of tabs we have open. The RTX 3080 is still a formidable card and most of the time you should have a great experience playing games or using GPU-accelerated programs.

It is a bit disappointing to see only the RAM and CPU see a refresh. At the asking price of $2,499.99, we think an RTX 4070 Ti would be the obvious pairing as the extra VRAM would help ease any concerns about how memory-hungry new AAA games have been as of late. The Corsair ONE i400 is also a little more awkward to work in than even some smaller PCs due to its unique design, but we think the tradeoff here is worth it if you feel confident pulling it apart and back together again.

5. Beelink SER6 Gaming Mini PC

Best budget mini gaming PC.

Beelink SER6 Specs:

.	.
Graphics	AMD RDNA 2 660M
CPU	AMD Ryzen 5 6600H 6 core 4.5Ghz
RAM	16GB DDR5 4800MHz dual channel
Storage	512GB PCIe 4.0 NVMe SSD
Connectivity	USB 3.2 Gen 2 x 3, USB 2.0, HDMI x 2, 2.5Gb ethernet, Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth 5.2
Cooling	Two fans
Dimensions	4.96 x 4.45 x 1.65 inches (12.6 x 11.3 x 4.2 cm)
Weight	1.13 lbs ( 0.51 kg)

Pros

• Steam Deck level of performance

• Upgradable RAM and storage

Cons

• Loud and high-pitched fan noise

• Only a little cheaper than 680M systems

AMD’s integrated graphics make another showing here with the Beelink SER6. The SER6 has an AMD 660M that is slightly less powerful than the iGPU of the Steam Deck, but the SER6 has two extra CPU cores and more power available to it so you can expect your games and general computing to feel a little snappier. To keep the Ryzen 5 6600U running sweet there is 16GB of DDR5 RAM and older and lighter titles such as Minecraft and League of Legends will hum along nicely.

You also have good options for expanding your storage and RAM with user two SODIMM slots and a PCIe 4.0 M.2 slot which are user-replaceable. Similarly to the Minisforum, there is space for a 2.5” drive at the bottom of the SER6 if you want to get silly with the storage and dump all your (legally owned) ROMs for a great little emulation machine. If the included 512GB isn’t enough, be sure to check out our best SSD for gaming roundup.

An unfortunate flaw here though is the dual fan design. Because the individual fans are smaller, they are much higher pitched than a larger singular fan would be so when things heat up, it can be a little loud. It’s also only a little cheaper at $429 (£539) than a 680 M-equipped mini PC so you may want to spend an extra bit of cash for the additional CPU and CU cores.

6. Blackview MP200

Best mini PC under $300/£300

Blackview MP200 specs:

.	.
Graphics	Intel Ultra-HD Graphics
CPU	Intel Core i5-11400H
RAM	16GB DDR4 3200MHz
Storage	512GB M.2
Connectivity	USB 3.2 Gen 2 x 4, HDMI 2, USB type C, 3.5mm Headphone Jack, Wifi 6, 1000Mbs LAN
Dimensions	183.2 x 150 x 75.5mm
Weight	1.52lbs (690g)

Pros

• One of the cheapest mini PCs

• Good for daily tasks

Cons

• Noisy fans during medium loads

• No dedicated graphics card

The Blackview MP200 is the ideal mini PC for those who want to spend as little as possible. Its competitive pricing makes it our top cheap option, but that price does mean limitations with performance.

Inside the MP200, the Intel Ultra-HD Graphics hinder gameplay somewhat, to the extent that you’ll need to play most in the lowest settings. It’s not impossible to play the best PC games, but you may struggle with triple AAA releases.

There are enough ports to add three displays with USB 3.2 connectivity, and the storage and RAM can both be doubled if you want to add second modules and upgrade the machine further down the line. We’d recommend the Blackview MP200 if you want one of the cheapest Windows 11 PCs on the market, but if gaming is your priority then lack of graphics card and cooling will let you down.

7. Asus ROG Ally

Best portable mini gaming PC.

Asus ROG Ally specs:

.	.
Graphics	AMD 780M
CPU	AMD Z1 Extreme APU 8 core
RAM	16GB LPDDR5 6400Mhz Dual channel
Display	7 inch IPS 1080p 120Hz (VRR)
Storage	512GB PCIe 4.0 NVMe SSD, microSD
Connectivity	ROG XG Mobile Interface, USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-C
Cooling	Dual fan design
Dimensions	11.02 x 4.37 x 0.83 ~ 1.28 inches (28.0 x 11.1 x 2.12 ~ 3.24 cm)
Weight	1.34 lbs (0.61 kg)

Pros

• Inexpensive

• Very powerful

• Highly portable

Cons

• Armory Crate software needs improving

• Windows 11 isn’t the best portable OS

The Asus ROG Ally may have a display and a built-in controller but it is by all accounts, a mini gaming PC that just so happens to be extremely portable. We were mightily impressed by the $699 (£699) Ally in our review.

It’s eeked out the Steam Deck for the best portable mini gaming PC because of its extra grunt in the GPU and CPU department which lets us play games on the go at 1080P.

When plugged in at home, you can opt for the maximum power envelope that would normally rinse your battery and have a very capable little computer that you can do pretty much anything on. With the XMG connector, you can plug in one of Asus’ external GPUs without losing any performance to the limitations of USB 4 as you have full access to the PCIe lanes.

You’ll need a good gaming keyboard and gaming mouse setup to make full use of the desktop environment though, editing the Excel spreadsheet might be a little difficult with the joysticks.

Any hiccups in performance will be smoothed out by the VRR screen too so unless you have some very heavy 1% and 0.1% lows, you shouldn’t notice any dips in frame rate allowing for a smooth and consistent experience.

Unfortunately, Asus’ Armory Crate overlay paired with Windows 11 doesn’t shine a candle to Valve’s SteamOS in terms of functionality, but this will no doubt improve with time and you have the added benefit of knowing that games such as Fortnite and Roblox will work out of the box.

Are mini PCs good for gaming?

A mini PC can be a good option for gaming, but it all depends on how much performance you need – and how much you’re willing to spend. The most expensive mini PCs like the Corsair i400 are equipped with high-end CPUs and dedicated GPUs, while there are some limitations to truly mini PCs.

With less space for cooling systems, this can lead to higher temperatures and loud fan noise during intensive gaming sessions – something we found to be true with the Blackview MP200. The compact form factor may also limit upgradability compared to larger desktop counterparts, as you might get fewer expansion slots. As mini PC technology has improved, high-performance mini gaming PCs can now mostly meet the demands of modern gamers.

Keep Reading

Computer

The best gaming PCs for 2023

By admin December 25, 2023

The best gaming PCs for 2023, Dell, Origin, Lenovo, and more ,If you’re looking for one of the best gaming PCs, you’re spoiled with options. We review dozens of gaming desktops each year from brands like Dell, HP, Lenovo, and Alienware, and we’ve rounded up the only gaming PCs you should consider this year.

Our top pick is still the Lenovo Legion Tower 7i due to its balance of price, features, and performance, but we have several other options. Here are the best gaming desktops we’ve reviewed so far.

Jacob Roach / Digital Trends

Lenovo Legion Tower 7i

The best gaming PC you can buy

Why you should buy this: It’s a reasonably priced gaming PC with flagship hardware, and it’s fully open for upgrades.

Who it’s for: PC gamers who want a high-end experience in 2023 and the possibility to upgrade in the future.

What we thought of the Lenovo Legion Tower 7i:

The Lenovo Legion Tower 7i is proof that buying a prebuilt gaming desktop doesn’t have to mean sacrificing quality. It packs in Nvidia’s RTX 4080 along with an Intel Core i7-13700KF processor, offering some of the fastest hardware you can buy today, and it performs as well as its spec sheet would suggest.

In our review, we found that the Lenovo Legion Tower 7i was a hair faster than a custom PC with the same components, so you’re not leaving any performance on the table by going prebuilt. You’re free to swap out components, too. Unlike desktops from Alienware and some other vendors, the Tower 7i uses standard-sized parts so you can swap out whatever you want.

That’s all great, but the real reason we’re recommending the Tower 7i is its price. The configuration we reviewed, which comes with an RTX 4080 and Intel Core i7-13700KF, runs $2,900. That’s expensive, but it’s only a few hundred dollars more than if you bought all the parts yourself and pieced them together on your own. And for that upcharge, you’re getting a year of Lenovo’s Legion Ultimate support, which includes next-business-day repair, as well as a 24/7 support contact.

Since our review, Lenovo has released some cheaper models as well. You can now get the machine for around $2,050 with an Intel Core i7-13700KF and RTX 4070 Ti GPU.

The best gaming PCs for 2023

It’s easy to recommend the Lenovo Legion Tower 7i in 2023, but it still has one problem. Lenovo advertised 5,200 megatransfer per second (MT/s) memory, but it’s only set up to run at 4,400 MT/s out of the box. That can lead to lower performance in some select applications, but thankfully, you can crank up the memory speed in a couple of clicks.

.Image used with permission by copyright holder

Origin Neuron

The best custom gaming PC

Why you should buy this: The Origin Neuron comes with excellent build quality and highly customizable components.

Who’s it for: Gamers looking to customize their own PC without getting into building.

What we thought of the Origin Neuron:

There’s no shortage of PC builders that use components you can buy and put together yourself, but Origin still manages to stand out. You can buy and build an exact replica of the Origin Neuron, but Origin’s careful attention to detail, deep customization options, and excellent support make an argument not to.

Corsair owns Origin, so the Neuron comes fitted with Corsair components across the board. That’s a good thing in this case, as Corsair makes some of the best PC fans, power supplies, and RAM modules you can buy. All of these first-party components give the Neuron a cohesive feel, free of software conflicts that could mess up your RGB lighting.

You can build the machine exactly how you want, too. Origin offers the latest CPUs from AMD and Intel, as well as the latest GPUs from Nvidia and AMD. Beyond that, you can tweak everything else — power supply rating, memory speed, you name it.

The Neuron is more expensive than a mainstream PC like the Omen 45L. That extra money buys you better build quality, more flexibility, and some modern furnishings. Out of all of the custom PC builds you can buy, the Origin Neuron is our favorite.

.Jacob Roach / Digital Trends

Alienware Aurora R16

The best Alienware gaming PC

Pros

• Much smaller than previous versions

• Cool and quiet during operation

• Several configuration options

• Competitively priced

Cons

• Alienware Command Center is a bit annoying

• CPU lacks integrated graphics and overclocking support

Why you should buy this: It’s an Alienware gaming PC built for the everyday gamer

Who’s it for: PC gamers who want a lot of flexibility in their build and don’t need to service their PC.

What we thought of the Alienware Aurora R16:

Alienware has a reputation problem, but the new Aurora R16 attempts to fix that. It’s the first time Alienware has abandoned the angular Aurora design we’ve seen for the past several generations, instead relying on a smaller mid-tower chassis that’s just as powerful, but takes up a lot less space.

It comes in cheaper, as well. Part of the reason Alienware desktops have a bit of a bad name is their price, but the Aurora R16 starts at just $1,300 for an Intel Core i7-13700F, RTX 4060 graphics card, 16GB of DDR5 memory, and a 1TB SSD. You can scale that up with the same processor, memory, and storage, but with an RTX 4070 Ti, for $1,950.

Alienware upgraded the internals a lot, but it’s the exterior of this machine that stands out. It’s around half the size of the previous version, all without compromising power or thermals. By the end of the year, Alienware says it will be its fastest desktop ever, packing up to an RTX 4090.

.Jacob Roach / Digital Trends

Acer Predator Orion 7000

The best high-end gaming PC

Why you should buy this: It’s a fantastic and upgradeable high-end desktop that will hold up for years.

Who’s it for: Enthusiasts that want a great starting point to upgrade their gaming PC in the future.

What we thought of the Acer Predator Orion 7000:

The Acer Predator Orion 7000 is a gaming PC in every sense of the phrase. Its design screams that with bright RGB fans and an aggressive design that makes it clear this is a machine built for gaming. Thankfully, it has the performance and thermals to back up its clear design influence.

It packs last-gen components, but they’re still powerful. You can score up to an Intel Core i9-12900K and RTX 3090 graphics card, and we expect a next-gen upgrade soon. Acer just recently updated its Predator laptops, so a desktop makeover should come soon.

Even this model holds up well in 2023, though. The components are still very powerful, and the design of the case makes quick work of all the heat these high-end components can spit out.

.Image used with permission by copyright holder

Intel NUC 12 Enthusiast

The best mini gaming PC

Why you should buy this: It’s smaller than a book and comes with enough power to run the latest games at 1080p.

Who’s it for: Gamers who need a tiny PC that packs a lot of punch.

What we thought of the Intel NUC 12 Enthusiast:

Intel’s NUC PCs have always been focused on performance in the smallest size possible, but the NUC 12 Enthusiast reaches even further. Powered by mobile Intel Arc Alchemist graphics, the machine can run the latest games at 1080p, and it’s smaller than the size of a book.

It’s not a stretch to say that the NUC 12 Enthusiast makes you forget you’re using a mini PC. It puts up desktop-like performance in a package smaller than some laptops, and it comes with all the trimmings you’d expect out of a full-size rig. That includes expansive connections, including USB-C, Thunderbolt, and plenty of USB 3 ports.

The included stand is great, too. You can sit the NUC 12 Enthusiast upright on your desktop, but you can also pop it off the stand and lay it down on its side. And if you’re looking to maximize space, you can even mount the stand to a wall and hide the PC behind your monitor.

.Jacob Roach / Digital Trends

Falcon Northwest Tiki

The best gaming PC for the living room

Why you should buy this: It’s smaller than a gaming console and packs high-end PC hardware.

Who’s it for: Living room gamers looking for a high-end gaming PC that doesn’t take up a lot of space.

What we thought of the Falcon Northwest Tiki:

The Falcon Northwest Tiki is the perfect small-form-factor gaming PC. Just like the Talon, the Tiki stands out with exceptional build quality, clear attention to detail, and support that puts major PC manufacturers to shame. It’s expensive, but Falcon Northwest makes every penny feel worth it.

For size, the Tiki is the smallest gaming PC you can buy fully configured. But Falcon Northwest doesn’t sacrifice performance in the process. You can cram in up to a 16-core Ryzen 9 5950X as well as a full, fat RTX 3090. You can also add up to 8TB of NVMe storage, which is insane considering the Tiki’s size.

Usually, a smaller size comes at the cost of thermals and noise, but not with the Tiki. It manages to stay cooler and quieter than many mid-sized desktops (read our Asus ProArt PD5 review for an example of bad thermals on a desktop).

Falcon Northwest is one of the few boutique PC builders left, and the Tiki is a perfect showcase for what that model can achieve. It’s an exception PC overall, and it’s even more impressive considering it’s smaller than a PlayStation 5.

.Jacob Roach / Digital Trends

Dell XPS Desktop (8960)

The gaming PC for remote workers

Why you should buy this: The Dell XPS Desktop 8650 doesn’t look like a gaming PC, but it comes with the right hardware to run the latest titles.

Who’s it for: Remote workers who need a professional PC during the day and a gaming PC at night.

What we thought of the Dell XPS Desktop 8960:

If you want to pick up a gaming desktop, but you’re not interested in learning about upgrading or tricking it out with RGB, the Dell XPS 8960 Desktop is a great option. It’s a stealth gaming PC that looks like an office desktop on the outside, but hides some of the most powerful components you can buy inside.

You can’t upgrade major components in the Dell XPS Desktop, which is almost always a downside. But you can at least trick out this PC with up to an Intel Core i9-13900 and Nvidia RTX 4080. You can even configure it with liquid cooling.

Configurations start as low as $750, with the first configuration with a discrete graphics card coming in at around $1,100. You’re giving up all of the trimmings that make a gaming PC look like one, but if you’re content to recycle your PC and upgrade a few years down the line, that’s not a big deal.

Although the XPS Desktop can fit into any office setting, we’re recommending it specifically for remote workers. You might not want to ask your boss to bill an RGB-ridden gaming behemoth; the XPS Desktop is much more reasonable, and it still has enough muscle for gaming after hours.

.Image used with permission by copyright holder

NZXT Streaming Plus BLD Kit

The best DIY gaming desktop

Pros

• Powerful

• Inexpensive

• Includes all the tools you need to build your own PC

Cons

• PC building isn’t for everyone

• Limited customization options

Why we chose this: The NZXT BLD Kit allows you to dip your toes into building a custom gaming PC and save some money in the process.

Who’s it for: Hobbyists who want to get into building PCs but don’t know where to start.

What we thought of the NZXT BLD Kit:

NZXT has a different approach to gaming desktops. Instead of shipping you a prebuilt machine, you get all of the components, tools, and an instruction manual to build the PC yourself. And don’t worry – you get all of that at a discount compared to getting a machine already built for you.

The BLD kits offer great value, and NZXT has several available. We’re recommending the Streaming Plus kit, which comes fitted with an eight-core Ryzen 7 5700X processor, an Nvidia RTX 3070 graphics card, and 16GB of RAM. Overall, the kit is about $200 than shopping for the cheapest parts yourself, rather than the anywhere from $500 to $1,000 that brands usually charge as a building fee.

If you can’t be bothered, NZXT also offers its custom BLD program. Unlike most system builders, NZXT charges a flat $110 building fee. Otherwise, you’re paying the exact same price for the components that you would if you bought them individually.

PC building isn’t for everyone, but NZXT’s BLD program offers a cost-effective and simple way to get into the hobby.

NZXT Streaming Plus BLD Kit

The best DIY gaming desktop

.Jacob Roach / Digital Trends

MSI Aegis RS 12

The best gaming PC for beginners

Why we chose this: It’s a no-fuss, powerful gaming PC that won’t break the bank.

Who’s it for: PC gamers who want a powerful PC and don’t need to mess around with upgrades.

What we thought of the MSI Aegis RS 12:

The MSI Aegis RS 12 is a perfect gaming PC if you don’t need to mess with upgrades. You can upgrade it, but its poor cable management and lack of a case don’t lend themselves well to DIY tweaks. Thankfully, you don’t need to make them. There’s a lot of power under the hood of the Aegis, and at a reasonable price.

The last time we looked at the machine, it was sporting Intel’s 12th-gen processors, but MSI has recently updated it with Intel 13th-gen CPUs and Nvidia RTX 40-series GPUs. You can pack in up to an Intel Core i7-13700KF and Nvidia RTX 4080, along with 32GB of RAM.

What’s surprising is the price. That configuration could easily run $4,000 or more with other brands, but MSI charges around $3,000 – near the same price as building your own. If you jump down to an RTX 4070 Ti, you can save almost $1,000, too.

On top of that, MSI includes a sold gaming keyboard and mouse in the box. They aren’t top-tier peripherals, but they’re more than enough to get beginners started with PC gaming.

.Jacob Roach / Digital Trends

CLX Hathor

The best dual gaming PC

Pros

• Beautiful design and build quality

• Two PCs in the size of one case

• Flagship hardware support

Cons

• Very expensive

• Dual PCs aren’t required for most people

Why we chose this: It’s a monster gaming PC that pulls double duty.

Who’s it for: Streamers who need a dual PC setup but don’t have the space for two PCs.

What we thought of the CLX Hathor:

What’s better than one monster gaming PC? Two, obviously. The CLX Hathor is insane, packing two full PCs into a single case. One if a high-end gaming rig fit with one of the latest CPUs from AMD or Intel, along with one of the latest graphics cards from AMD or Nvidia. The second is an Intel NUC that pull lightweight duty so you don’t have to bog down one machine.

CLX allows you to customize just about every aspect of the PC, as well. There are the core components like your GPU, CPU, and RAM, but you can even tweak your cooler, multiple storage options, and even customize the Lian Li case the PC ships in.

It’s an excellent PC, assuming you need all of the power it offers. The Hathor starts at $4,100, and it only goes up from there. This is a high-end PC for high-end streamers, who need a secondary PC holding the work of streaming so your main PC can focus on gaming.

CLX Hathor

The best dual gaming PC

Frequently Asked Questions

PC vs. laptop for gaming

While you can play on the go with a gaming laptop outfitted with a discrete graphics card, a gaming desktop will deliver more flexibility, power, and performance for serious gamers. With more space inside a desktop tower, thermal management is generally better, which leads to stronger graphics and processing performance without the fear of throttling.

Another benefit of going with a desktop is that there is more space to perform upgrades in the future, so you can add more memory or storage, swap out your graphics card, and upgrade your motherboard and processor down the road. When shopping for a gaming desktop, you should look for key features like upgradability, expandability, and support for the latest protocols, like Thunderbolt 3, which could help extend the life of your investment.

What’s the best gaming PC for beginners?

The best gaming PC for beginners is the HP Omen 30L or 45L. These two machines live in the same family, and the 30L is slightly smaller than the 45L. We recommend them for beginners because they come with the latest, most powerful components, they’re readily available, and they’re easy to upgrade.

For configurations, you want to pay attention to the GPU and CPU. For beginners, we recommend the Nvidia RTX 3060 for 1080p gameplay, paired with either an AMD Ryzen 5 5600X or Intel Core i5-12600K.

Gamers will also want to have enough RAM — we suggest at least 16GB of memory — and fast storage. Moreover, taking the dual-drive route means you don’t need to invest in an expensive solid-state drive with large storage. This allows you to pair a more modest-capacity SSD with a larger hard drive to store all the large media libraries for your game.

Can gaming PCs be used for work?

Most definitely. Manufacturers like HP recognize that gamers don’t just play games — office workers want to stay entertained during their downtime, too. All that’s needed to play games is a capable processor, a strong enough discrete graphics card, and enough memory to keep the entire system running smoothly.

If you’re looking to save money by using one desktop for gaming and for your productivity tasks, you’ll want to choose a PC or one of the best laptops with more understated aesthetics that will blend in better with your office decor. Once you have the right PC selected, just pick out a few games and have fun.

Is PC gaming dying?

Absolutely not. With sales of general-purpose desktops stagnating in recent years, manufacturers like HP and Lenovo are investing more resources into their gaming brands to fuel growth.

With new hardware features supported on gaming PCs — from VR and augmented reality to real-time ray tracing — developers will have plenty of new technologies to leverage in order to tell visually engaging stories through their games.

Keep Reading